Magneto



. P 1935- BEEH El AL 2,013,335

MAGNETO Filed Feb. 12, 1955 INVENTORS M uabw F. MAI/7 4. rlb

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETO Application February 12, 1935, Serial No. 6,192

12 Claims.

This invention relates to magnetos and more particularly to magnetos as employed in the ignition systems of internal combustion engines having differing numbers of cylinders. In the past, a

-6 diflerent magneto was required for each engine of differing numbers of cylinders as one, four or six. In accordance with this invention a single, standard magneto may be employed and individual adaptors used to conform to the cylinder complement of different engines.

An object of this invention is to provide a magneto which has a broader field of application.

Another object is to provide a magneto which is more economical in production.

Still another object is to provide a magneto whichmay readily be adapted to different engine requirements by changing the distributor unit thereon.

Still a further object is to provide a magneto in which the distributor gear is of improved and simplified construction. 1

Other objects and advantages will in part be specifically stated and in part be obvious when the following specification is read in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing in section the magneto and removable distributor plate; Fig. 2 is an end view of the magneto, showing the distributor plate; and Fig. 3 is an alternativev construction, showing a different type of removable distributor plate and a difierent kind of distributor gear.

In the description of the alternative forms of construction, like numerals will indicate like elements.

Referring in more detail to Fig. 1, the numeral I indicates a rotor shaft, journaled in bearings 2 and 3, which are carried respectively by a die cast housing 4 and a bracket 5 supported in the housing. A magnet rotor 6 is suitably mounted upon the shaft I in operative relation to poleshoes formed on vertical stator laminations, not shown in detail and forming no part of the present invention. A laminated cross member 1 is mounted on the upper ends of the vertical laminations and carries the usual primary and secondary windings, indicated generally as 8, which overlie the rotor 6. The high tension terminal 9 of the windings 8 is connected by the rigid conductor II) with a contact button II which is centrally mounted on the distributor gear I2. While the distributor may be either a brush or jump spark type, the latter type is shown in Fig. 1 and operates as follows: A stud I3 is mounted on the gear I2 and is electrically connected with the spring mounted contact button I I. The high tension current is thus led to the stud I3 and jumps the small clearance gaps to the outlet terminals ll, shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as inserts in the distributor plate I5. The distributor gear I2 is mounted on a stub shaft I6 which is .journaled in a suitable bearing step I'I formed in the distributor plate I5 and located centrally with respect to the output terminal I4. A metallic bushing Ila may be inserted in the molded bearing step I? in order to provide a wear-resisting bearing surface, and the bearing end of the stub shaft may be hollowed to receive a suitable lubricating grease which reaches the bearing surfaces through two small radial holes.

The rotor shaft I has a cam surface I8 forme adjacent one end thereof, which may operate any suitable breaker lever, not shown. Fixedly mounted on the end of shaft I adjacent the cam surface is a pinion III in driving relation with the distributor I2. The gear I2 is formed of fabric laminations impregnated with one of the artificial resins or phenolic condensation products and in itself comprises an insulating support for the high tension lead, thus dispensing with the usual construction of a gear driving a separate distributor rotor which carries the high tension lead.

While a distributor for a four cylinder engine is shown in Fig. l, the magneto may quickly be adapted to engines having a differing number of cylinders by removing the distributor plate I5 and replacing it with one having the proper number of outlet terminals. Preferably, difierent sizes of pinions are used for the various distributor gearing ratios required by the respective engines, the gear I2 beingleft unchanged in size but mounted on a center appropriate for the pinion. To secure proper adjustment, the gear and pinion must mesh in predetermined relationship and a tooth of each is marked to indicate the meshing position desired. In order to more readily determine that they are properly meshed, an observation window is formed in the distributor plate I5.

Fig. 3 shows another form of the distributor gear I2 and plate I5. In this instance, the gear I2 is molded with the high tension conductor as an insert. The teeth of gear I2 are molded at the same time and are made of sufficient width and strength to avoid chipping. In this form, the pinion I9 is journaled at 2| in the distributor plate I5, in addition to the gear I2. A loose driving connection is made with the end of the rotor shaft I, which allows the pinion I9 to be removed with the distributor plate assembly.

Thus, in both embodiments, a unitary distributor assembly is provided which may be quickly removed and replaced by another assembly suitable for a different engine. A suitable distributor may readily be designed to meet the requirement of any engine having two or more cylinders, while for one cylinder engines no rotary distributor is needed. In the latter instance the sparking impulses are taken directly from the secondary of coil 8. A very flexible and economical magneto unit is furnished which is reliable in operation and simple in construction.

It will be apparent that many changes and modifications may be made by anyone skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention expressed in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a gear journaled on said plate and being entirely supported thereby, and means including said gear for supplying said terminals with current impulses.

2. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals formed on said plate, a gear journaled on said plate and being entirely supported thereby, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said outlet terminal.

3. In a magneto, a distributor plate of molded insulation material, outlet terminals on said plate, a bearing step formed in said plate, a gear journaled in said bearing step and being entirely supported thereby, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said outlet terminals.

4. In a magneto, a distributor plate of molded insulation material, outlet terminals on said plate, a bearing step formed in said plate, a gear of insulating material journaled in said bearing step and being entirely supported thereby, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said outlet terminals.

5. In a magneto, a distributor plate of molded insulation material, outlet terminals on said plate, a bearing step formed in said plate, a bushing positioned in said bearing step, a stub shaft journaled in said bushing, a gear fixed on said stub shaft and entirely supported thereby, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said outlet terminals.

6. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a distributor gear journaled in said plate, a pinion journaled in said plate in driving relation to said gear, a driving connection between said pinion and the rotor shaft or said magneto, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said. outlet terminals.

'7. In a magneto, a molded insulation distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a bearing step in said plate being centrally located with respect to said terminals, a gear journaled in said bearing step and being entirely supported there by, and a high tension lead carried by said gear and cooperating with said outlet terminals.

8. In a magneto having a rotor, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a distributor gear journaled on said plate and being entirely supported thereby, means including said gear for supplying said terminals with current impulses, and a pinion fixedly mounted on said rotor and meshed with said gear.

9. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a bearing in said plate, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing and having one end projecting therefrom, and a distribuear secured to said projecting shaft end whereby said bearing and shaft comprise the principal supportingmeans for said gear.

10. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a distributor gear carrying a high tension lead in cooperative relation to said terminals, supporting means for said gear including a bearing in said plate and a shaft journaled in said bearing, whereby said plate and said gear are removable as a unitary structure.

11. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a distributor gear carrying a high tension lead in cooperative relation to said terminals, supporting means for said gear including a bearing in said plate and a shaft journaled in said bearing, and resilient means for maintaining said shaft seated in said bearing.

12. In a magneto, a distributor plate, outlet terminals on said plate, a distributor gear carrying a high tension lead in cooperative relation to said terminals, supporting means for said gear including a bearing in said plate and a shaft journaled in said bearing, and resilient means comprising a high tension lead for maintaining said shaft seated in said bearing.

LOUIS BEEH. JOHN F. MARTIN. 

